Coyotefreak's Lightning strike build!

This build has Good survivability, Fast clearing, hardcore viable. Difficulty:Moderate (2handers may be a great substitution for leveling)

This build is built around Lightning strike using moderate or high attack speed weapons such as Daggers, swords, and rapiers with these weapons you want to focus on physical damage and maybe grabbing some elemental damage with it, but physical damage is you're main priority. Here is a quick look at my skill tree.

(Build shown is at level 63)As you can see i hit a few High dexterity nodes frankly because templars don't get much dexterity at all. (because daggers, swords, and rapiers require quite a bit) Also that i grabbed quite a few elemental damage nodes if not all i could get, because Lightning strike converts 50% Physical damage to lightning damage which makes it scale fairly high. Not to also forget about you're offhand, you should be using a shield. Because a shield provides a good amount of resists (unless you prefer not to use a resist shield)and survivability while focusing on getting life nodes and some decent health regeneration. Also to explain the resolute technique, i take it because it provides reliable constant damage to monsters. (Here is my gear so i can explain more)

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Flasks

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I will admit some of this gear is very good but it does not require a 5 linked item for this to work or an incredible weapon. But to support Lightning strike i took it with Weapon elemental damage, (because of the physical to lightning scaling) Chain, (for great Aoe) Faster attacks (for increased ability use and effectiveness)and mana leech is optional very much depending on you're mana situation. But you can use Life leech or faster projectiles for use with lightning strike aswell. For you're rings and amulet you want to go for as much elemental or physical damage as you can but without sacrificing too much of you're resists (but having a resist shield frees up alot more options for this)Same thing with you're gloves but you also want increased attack speed on them if possible.

Auras
For you're auras you want to choose one of the three elemental auras. For my self i have chosen anger and you are going to want plenty of mana regeneration so you want to definitely pick up clarity when you can.

Curses
For curses you either want conductivity or preferably elemental weakness.

Some strategy is to shoot you're LS from a distance when dealing with packs and for rare mobs or bosses you want to run up to them and just shotgun them until death (may require some monster kiting depending on the boss or rare monster) and to deal with lightning resist and immune curse monsters you can pick things like Ligntning strike with Weapon elemental damage, melee physical damage and point blank to combat this.

Small note: i took leap slam in order to get out of tricky spots.

Weaknesses
Certain projectiles from ranged monsters
May have a moderate health pool depending on gear

Also LMP (lesser multiple projectiles) is a reasonable substitution for chain until you receive/trade for one.

Please leave questions or constructive feedback for me in order to work out any kinks in the build! Thanks :D

I had a few observations about this build I felt should be pointed out.

Elemental damage nodes aren't very efficient damage bonuses for LS. Some of them are no brainers as they are just part of your natural progression, but others, like Elementalist, are entirely wasted points.

Lightning Strike converts 50% of your physical to Lightning damage. Right off the bat you are talking about only receiving half the bonus from elemental damage nodes. Even with a Max Weapon Elemental damage gem, you aren't getting the full benefit of of the node. Your obviously going to use WED anyway, but the node itself is still not beneficial. In the case of Elementalist node, you actually spend 2 points to get 10% ( having to take an INT node to get to it ). Things like the Legendary Swordsman circle will not only provide more overall damage in this particular case, but also provide accuracy and less block chance for the same skill point investment. You then don't really need Resolute Technique at all, saving yourself 5 points on the outside to get to it.

Secondly, I find it incredibly strange that you took the 3 18% Resist nodes twoards the middle. You are literally right next to the Diamond Skin Node ( providing 15% to all res), as well as a great deal of 15% nodes for Fire/Lightning/Cold. If you took out those 3 nodes, and the 30 strength node, you would end up with +10 str, +15% all res, and +15 to 2 resistances for the exact same skill investment, profiting 21% Resistance and only losing 20 str in the process.

The random max mana node is also... strange. :-P

I went ahead and cleaned it up a bit. In some cases improving it, in other cases just changing the way you approach a tree to give you more flexibility in future levels.

The physical damage increase/sword damage is going to do far more damage then Elemental is. Even if you only look at the lighning portion of the damage, 50% of your physical increase ( 62% / 2 ) is going to come out EXACTLY equal to the elemental damage bonus nodes. Except now, you gain 31% damage on your physical as well. Reduced block chance isn't really needed, but it allows you to PvP and maybe tackle some Act 3 Content easier ( Lore is that a Army is setting upon Sarn, and I have not known many armies that don't carry shields :-P ). The increases accuracy makes up for some of resolute technique, while still allowing for crits. Increased resistances are just all around better, and the remaining 7 skill points can be used to either further your damage/survivability, or take some of the things you might miss ( such as mana regeneration, in this case you can grab 40% for 1 point ), or even grab Resolute technique again. Personally, I would make my way twoards the second Legendary swordsman circle below marauder. It would cost you 9 total points to grab them all, further increasing damage, reduced block, and accuracy.

Secondly, I find it incredibly strange that you took the 3 18% Resist nodes twoards the middle. You are literally right next to the Diamond Skin Node ( providing 15% to all res)

This is because i am going to grab the .4% life regen nodes and the three 10% elemental damage nodes and like i said having an all resist shield will free up alot more options in this build and everyone wont be using a sword because there are still plenty of good and fast physical daggers and rapiers out there and waiting to be made.

You got something similar to what I "plan" to build once the wipe is done on 23 when the game enter Open Status.

The trick to a melee Lighting Stike Build are these 2 main important ideas :

1 - avoid taking too many +x% more phisical/elemental damage nodes ... and go for those that gives you healt regeneration and attack speed !

2 - your 90% of the damage you will do in the game will come from :
a - your main weapon + all the brute(not percentage) damage from you rest of the gear
b - Tempest Shield Skill Gem + high block chance on your shield

For your idea ... my Templar will also be build upon Lighting Strike + Tempest Shield + Auras/Buffs.
All my mana(98% of it) will be reserved on auras and buffs, and I hope I will have enough mana to still be able to cast Tempest Shield w/o having to disable a buff or an aura for the re-cast.

As for my main attack ... I will use Lighting Strike and in late game I will try to get a gear with 6 linked sockets.... I hope I will get one.... this gear will be the hardest item for me to get .. and the most important of course ... but the idea is to build this :

Lighting Strike supported by :
- Lifeleech = to stay with full life even when I attack
- Blood Magic = will need it since all my mana will be used on something else
- Greather Multiple Projectile = this skill gem will actually "double" your damage output with Lighting Strike Skill... at least for the main target
- Chain = this gem is godlike... this game will actually make your Lighting "Bolts" to "chasse" the targets and you will hit them no matter how they are spreaded out :D... this support gem is a must for this skill.
- XXXXXXXXXX - this spot will be filled depending on what gear I will have at that moment ... I could go for more damage (Lighting Penetration)... I could go for more crowd controld(Added Cold Damage)... or if I need none of the above I will add some Item Rarity for farming purpose ....

A few Hints that will make your LS Templar more "alive" in the late game : get a high block shield + Tempest Shield with Added Cold Support Gem ....it's a nice way to slow maybe freeze some enemies ... this will give you precious time to run away or to get close depending on the situation ....